From Salisbury, Md. take U.S. 50 east towards Ocean City. Turn right onto Hobbs Rd.

PROBABLES (Hickory/ Delmarva)

Saturday: RHP Jean Casanova vs. LHP Cameron Bishop

Sunday: RHP Alex Eubanks vs. RHP Brenan Hanifee

Monday: RHP Tyler Phillips vs. RHP Luis Perez

Recent Series History:

The Intimidators are 6-4 vs. Hickory in 2018, which includes a 5-2 record at Intimidators Stadium. The Crawdads won 2 out of 3 in the last series played between the two squads last month at Hickory. Hickory won the season series in 2017 12-10, which included a 7-5 edge at Intimidators Stadium. Since the start of the Crawdads affiliation with the Rangers in 2009, Hickory is 100-69 against Kannapolis, 53-37 at Intimidators Stadium. The Intimidators last won a season series vs. Hickory in 2010 (9-7).

About the Crawdads:

The Crawdads split a rain-shortened two-game series at Kannapolis and have won four of their last five. The stretch has come with a good stretch of starting pitching. Over the last five games, the starting pitchers combined have tossed 28.1 innings with a line of 20 H, 7 R, 6 BB, 30 K, 2 HR. Walks continues to plague the team as the Crawdads are tied with Rome for the most walks allowed and that has contributed largely to a 1.33 WHIP, which 11th in the 14-team SAL. However, the Crawdads have received solid help in the field this season. Hickory is third in the SAL in fielding pct. (.975) and have committed the third fewest errors. With the solid defensive help, Hickory has given up the second-fewest earned runs in the league… At the plate, Hickory is 11th in runs scored, hits, 13th in batting avg. and last in doubles. The Crawdads do have the ability put the ball over the fence. Their 71 homers are third in the SAL.

RF Miguel Aparicio (No. 17): 2018 stats at Hickory: .201/.259/.309, 3 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 11 BB, 28 K, 0 SB, 4 CS. This season vs. Delmarva: 4-for-19, 3 BB, 5 K. Last series at Kannapolis: 1-for-4, 2 K. Signed with the Rangers as an international free agent in 2015. Native of San Carlos, Venezuela. Assigned to Hickory 6/29 after a two-weak stint at short-season Spokane. He is 4-for-24 with a HR, BB and 4 Ks in six games since his return.

Delmarva is coming off a 2-1 home series win over in-state rival Hagerstown… The Shorebirds started the season with a franchise-best 7-0 record and pushed its record as high as 25-12 on May 14. But the Shorebirds went 4-10 the rest of May and dropped to 32-30 before finishing the first half at 35-32… With a stable of top-30 prospects in the starting rotation, Delmarva has been able to get ahead in most games. They’ve scored first in 48 games – the second most in the SAL – but holding leads has been a work in progress. Delmarva has 8 losses when leading after six innings and four losses when leading after eight. Both are the most in the SAL. In extra inning games, the Shorebirds are 3-8, the second worst mark in the SAL… Walks have also troubled the Shorebirds as they are third behind Hickory and Rome (Ga.)… Delmarva is second in fielding pct. (.976) and in fewest errors committed.

SS Cadyn Grenier: 2018 stats: 1-for-4, 3B, BB, 2 K. Competitive-Balance pick of the Orioles in 2018 out of Oregon State. A member of the Beavers National Championship team. Attended Bishop Gorman HS in Las Vegas. Joined the Shorebirds on July 5.

The win was the second straight by Hickory (16-24) to open the four-game series, which continues Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Delmarva (26-17) lost its third straight game and has dropped six of the last eight overall. The Shorebirds now trail first-place Kannapolis by two games in the first-half Northern Division standings.

It was the Tyree Thompson show from the start as the right-hander kept the Shorebirds off balance throughout the game. The New Orleans native allowed just six baserunners over a pro career high of 7.1 innings and struck out three.

Meanwhile, the Crawdads, led by Huff and Enright, supplied the runs Thompson (2-3) needed early. Facing starter D.L. Hall, Austin O’Banion doubled and scored when Huff also doubled off the left field wall. In the fourth, Huff doubled with two outs and Enright swatted his third homer of the season to left-center to make it 3-0.

Franklin Rollin’s speed played a large part for a run in the seventh. He reached on an infield hit, stole second and moved to third on an error from where Tyreque Reed doubled him in.

The right-hander was economical all-night, needing just 65 pitches to get through seven innings. No Shorebirds hitter saw more than four pitches in a plate appearance before the game reached one out in the eighth. That batter, Arlington (Tex.) native Jaylen Ferguson, lined a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left for his first homer in the second game since joining the Shorebirds. After Thompson walked Kirvit Moesquit, the Crawdads brought in reliever Alex Speas, who recorded the final two outs.

Hickory added a run on a bases-loaded walk in the eighth. Speas returned with a dominant ninth, striking out the final two batters of the game for his fourth save of the season.

More on Tyree Thompson:

When the Shorebirds Moesquit hit the second pitch of the game, a middle-in fastball, hard to Reed at first, it looked ominous. As it turned out, it was the last hard-hit ball by the Shorebirds against Thompson until Jean Carrillo lined out to center in the fifth.

Thompson’s fastball started the night topping at 93 mph, but he stayed around 89-91 much of the night and spotted it well. It was the second strong start in a row for the 20-year-old – he allowed one run on four hits and three walks over six innings last week against Rome (Ga.) – which he said has been the result of a mechanical adjustment.

“I’m just tweaking some simple things with my hands, as far as movement,” Thompson said. “It helped me as far as conviction wise and command wise to be able to throw the ball wherever I want.”

That command was with three pitches: the fastball, change and an occasional curve. Thompson broke his first curveball off to strike out Trevor Craport in the second. After a walk and an error put two on in the second, Thompson got Carrillo to bounce a changeup into a force play.

The changeup got a lot of play by Thompson and it was largely responsible for the ten groundball outs recorded.

“They’re a good hitting team,” said Thompson of the plan of attack. “But once you get ahead early in the count, they’re protecting. My strength is getting ahead of batters and getting them out in four pitches or less.”

A couple of defensive plays aided Thompson’s gem. In the first, Thompson tried to make a backhand stab of a comebacker. The ball deflected to the first-base side of second, where shortstop Cristian Inoa made a quick charge of the play and threw to first for the out. Playing center on Wednesday, Rollin saved a hit in the fifth with a full-out dive and catch to his left.

The defensive plays along with the early runs boosted Thompson’s confidence.

“If I get a run ahead, that’s a plus for me because I know what kind of pitcher I am, and I know my strengths. When I get a run ahead, it makes me compete more, knowing my defense is behind me. I throw strikes and do what I have to do, knowing my defense will make plays.”

Tyree Thompson allowed a run on three hits over 7.1 innings vs. Delmarva on Tuesday (photo courtesy of Tracy Proffitt)

The game’s turning point:

D.L. Hall, the Baltimore Orioles No. 4 prospect, had spotty control early, but got into a groove into the third. Gassing around 94-95 with increasing command of the changeup, Hall had retired eight in a row after Huff’s RBI double in the second. He was ready to make it nine with two outs in the fourth and Huff back at the plate.

The Shorebirds went after Huff in the second with three straight secondary pitches, the third of which was a hanging curve that Huff roped off the wall. So in the fourth, Hall came with two straight fastballs that put Huff in an 0-2 hole. A third fastball missed just inside and before Hall went back to two straight changeups. Huff spoiled both.

The final pitch of the AB was a 93 mph just off the plate – too close to take – that Huff not only spoiled, but got enough of the pitch off the end of the bat to bounce the ball past first for a double.

Enright followed with a homer on a 2-0 fastball and that turned out to be the game.

Alex Speas ninth:

The dude was gassing.

After a 4-3 grounder, Speas made Ryan Ripken uncomfortable in the box. A 98 mph heater had the left-handed hitting Ripken stepping towards first on a swing-and-miss. Ripken flicked a second 98 into the stands. Expecting another heater, Speas fooled him with an 89 slider that closed into the hitter’s hands. A half-hearted swing completed the strikeout.

Delmarva has dominated the series this season, winning five of six overall and two of three at L.P. Frans in April. Since the Crawdads-Rangers affiliation began in 2009, Delmarva has won just one season series, that coming in 2015.

About the Crawdads:

A quick road trip at Kannapolis resulted in a 2-1 series loss at Kannapolis, as the final game of the series was suspended Sunday afternoon… Hickory is 10-9 at home this season… After a hot start in May, the Crawdads have come back to earth and are currently at .247/.325/.394 for the month. The team is next to last in the SAL in hits, last in doubles, 11th in runs scored, 12th in total bases and 13th in extra-base hits… The pitching had a good last run through the rotation and as a staff the team had allowed four or fewer runs in six straight before giving up five through five innings in the suspended game. Overall, the Crawdads are 11th in ERA (4.45), 12th in WHIP (1.40) and have walked the second most in the SAL… Defensively, Hickory has committed the fewest errors in the SAL (35 in 38 games). Collectively, Hickory has committed just four since May 9 (nine games).

Managed by Buck Britton in his first season with the club. He is the brother of Orioles reliever Zach Britton… Delmarva heads to Hickory after dropping two of three at home to Hagerstown (Md.), the Northern Division’s last place team… What had been a solid pitching staff this season, the Shorebirds got knocked around a bit last week as they gave up seven or more runs in three of the last four games – all losses. The one win was a shutout in game one of a doubleheader on Sunday. The team ERA of 3.26 is still fifth in the SAL and they have five shutouts this season. Delmarva has allowed just 20 homers, but are just five behind Hickory in walks allowed… At the plate, the Shorebirds are near the top of the SAL teams. Collectively, they are second in the SAL in batting avg. (.263) and hits, third in runs, total bases and OPS (.723), fourth in OBP (.329) and homers, and fifth in slugging pct. (.394). They are next to last in strikeouts… Delmarva is first in fielding pct. (.976).

Delmarva swept a three-game series at home vs. Hickory earlier this month. The Crawdads held a 7-4 advantage in last year’s season series, including a 3-1 mark in the only series played at L.P. Frans. During the Crawdads affiliation with the Rangers, Hickory is 72-48 overall, 39-19 at Hickory. The Crawdads have lost one season series to Delmarva since 2009. Oddly that came in 2015, the season Hickory won the SAL title.

ABOUT THE CRAWDADS:

The Crawdads lost 2-of-3 against Greensboro to open the homestand but fought the rain as much as they did the Grasshoppers. Games from Monday and Tuesday were rained out, as was the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader… After snapping out of an early season funk during the previous homestand, the Crawdads have scored in just four of the last 30 innings. They were shutout by Columbia (S.C.) in the series finale on Sunday, then used a four-spot in game one Wednesday’s doubleheader to secure their only win of the Greensboro series. Hickory has scored ten runs over the last four games, five coming on home runs. The Crawdads put the ball in play. They are last next to last in strikeouts AND in walks received…The pitching staff has been a bit of a Jekyll-and-Hyde act recently. Over the last ten games, the Crawdads have allowed two or fewer runs on half of them but five or more in the other half. Walks have hurt the Crawdads cause more than anything else. Hickory has allowed the third fewest hits in the SAL but are third in walks surrendered… The Crawdads are tied with Delmarva for the fewest errors committed (17 in 19 games) in the SAL. Catcher Melvin Novoa has thrown out four of five attempted base stealers.

IF Ryan Dorow: 2018 stats: .286/.381/.629, 3 2B, 3 HR, 5 BB, 14 K. Last series: 1-for-7, HR, 2 BB, 4 K. Taken over at second in the absence of Kole Enright. Was 30th-round pick of Rangers in 2017 out of Adrian (Mich.) College. Native of South Haven, Mich.

ABOUT THE SHOREBIRDS:

Managed by Buck Britton in his first season with the Shorebirds. He is the brother of Orioles closer Zach Britton… Split a four-game series at home vs. Kannapolis, winning the last two and reclaiming first place… Their pitching staff, especially the starters, have carried the team to an extent. Delmarva’s 2.47 ERA is third in the SAL, but it has allowed the fewest runs, courtesy of a league-leading defense (only nine unearned runs). The Shorebirds have surrendered just seven home runs and are third in Ks. The 1.13 WHIP is second in the SAL… The sticks have been fairly consistent as well. The .260 batting avg. is third in SAL., but runs have been at a premium lately with just ten over the last five games. Delmarva is third in hits, tied for fourth in runs scored…Third baseman Trevor Craport and SS Mason McCoy each lead the SAL in assists at their position and they’ve committed just five errors between them. However when runners get on base, those with speed have taken advantage of catcher Ben Breazeale, who has thrown out just three of 16 attempting to steal and just 10-of-48 for his pro career.

RHP Michael Baumann (No. 15): Not expected to start in the series. Third-round pick of the Orioles in 2017 out of Jacksonville Univ. Native of Mahtomedi, Minn. and pitched in HS there. In his opening night start, threw four-hit shutout over five innings with 10 Ks and a walk.

LHP Cameron Bishop (No. 16): Not expected to start in the series. Was 26th-round pick of Orioles in 2017 out of Univ. of California-Irvine. Native of Brea, Calif.

From Salisbury, take U.S. 50 east towards Ocean City. Turn right onto Hobbs Rd.

Probables (Hickory/Delmarva):

Monday: RHP Reid Anderson vs. LHP Zac Lowther

Tuesday: RHP Tyree Thompson vs. LHP DL Hall

Wednesday: RHP Tyler Phillips vs. RHP Michael Baumann

Recent Series History:

Hickory took the 2017 season-series 7-4, which included a 4-3 advantage at Purdue Stadium. During the Crawdads affiliation with the Rangers, Hickory is 72-45 overall, 33-26 at Delmarva. The Crawdads have lost one season series to Delmarva since 2009. Oddly that came in 2015, the season Hickory won the SAL title.

Entering the series:

While Hickory was swept by Greensboro in a rain-shortened, three-game series over the weekend, Delmarva punished Asheville in a four-game sweep by a 40-17 margin. The 40 runs are the most scored by a SAL team over the weekend while the Crawdads scored a SAL- low of 7. Four of the seven runs by Hickory came on homers.

Prospects to watch- Hickory:

CF Pedro Gonzalez (No. 10): 2018 stats: 4-for-12, two-run HR, 7 Ks. Came to the Rangers in a trade for C Jonathan Lucory. Originally signed with Rockies in 2015. Native of Santo Domingo, D.R.

RHP Brenan Hanifee (No.10): 2017 stats: 12 games (all starts), 68.2 IP, 12 BBs, 44 Ks .249 OBA, 1.12 WHIP at SS-A Aberdeen. Fourth-round pick of the Orioles in 2016 out of Ashby High in Bridgewater, Va. Signed away from a commitment to East Carolina. Named to New York-Penn League All-Star Game and tabbed as an Orioles organizational all-star by MILB.com.

C Ben Breazeale: 2017 stats: .318/.428/.467 slash with 19 XBHs in 57 games at Aberdeen. Seventh-round pick of Orioles in 2017 out of Wake Forest. New York-Penn player of the month in July 2017. All-Star game selection in that same league and named Baseball America SS-A all-star.

1B Ryen Ripken: 2017 starts .287.323/.378 slash with 11 XBHs in 51 games at Aberdeen. Signed free agent deal with Orioles in 2017. Played previously in SAL with Hagerstown (Washington) in 2016. Son of Cal Ripken, Jr.

RF Zack Jarrett: 2017 stats: /.201/.252/.288 slash with 8 XBHs in 45 games at Aberdeen. 28th-round pick of the Orioles in 2017 out of UNC Charlotte. Played his high school ball at Hickory High.

Notes of Interest: Both of the Shorebirds assistant coaches have ties to the Crawdads. Hitting coach Bobby Rose served in the same role with Hickory in 2014. Justin Lord made two starts for the Crawdads in 2004…Shorebirds manager Buck Britton is the brother of Orioles close Zach Britton. Buck was the hitting coach for Delmarva in 2017…TJ Nichting was a teammate of Jarrett at UNC Charlotte. Will Robertson played college ball at Davidson… Delmarva’s sweep over the week is the first to open the season since at least 2005. However, it is the 10th time in 14 seasons the team won at least 3 games in the opening series of the season.

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